GENOA STP - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Genoa, Wisconsin

GENOA STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Genoa, Vernon County, Wisconsin. It serves a small population of 359 residents and provides secondary treatment, which is the standard for small communities under the US Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 162.77 million gallons per year and currently discharges 71.92 million gallons annually. As a US facility, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is part of the larger Upper Mississippi River ecosystem, which is ecologically significant for migratory birds and fish species.

The plant's treated effluent enters a local tributary that flows into the Mississippi River, a major waterway that drains much of the central United States. The Mississippi River supports a wide range of aquatic species and provides critical habitat for migratory waterfowl. Downstream, the river flows into the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading from upstream sources can contribute to hypoxic zones. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and protect local water quality.